Did you know that there are special spoons just for stirring risotto?

A Risotto Spoon Hanging Out in My Garden

That is just one of the fascinating facts I learned from yesterday’s Italian cooking class taught by the marvelous and talented chef, Nadia Frigeri, at Voila! in Del Mar.

I guess this type of spoon works well for risotto because the hole allows the rice to pass through without getting smooshed and since it’s wooden, the spoon is lighter which eases the constant stirring that risotto requires. Also, its tip is rounded, helping it flow smoothly around the pot.

Anyway… Nadia served us three entrees and two desserts. Since watching her in action adds so much crucial detail to her recipes, I have decided to devote a whole entry to each recipe over the coming week or so. I hope you’ll enjoy all of the added tips and suggestions that she shared with us in the class. To me, they are invaluable because they are practical, as well as critical to recreating the kick-ass lusciousness of her dishes. She even tells her students whether it’s better to buy a certain ingredient at Costco or Trader Joe’s or Vons, etc. I just eat that stuff up because I am picky about ingredients and devoted to quality, so I feel like I am getting real insider tips without having to research it myself!

The attentive class at Voila! in Del Mar

So, the risotto dish was my favorite entrée of the evening. It was impossibly creamy, but without any actual cream added due to the natural starchiness of the rice. The kaleidoscope of colors – pink from the shrimp, green from the asparagus and parsley, and rich earth tones from the wine-soaked sauce – were almost too much to handle.

And the taste… it was definitely in line with the philosophy of Zen Foodism – each bite demanded quiet focus and complete appreciation. I am determined to add risotto to my repertoire of cooking skills, sooner rather than later.

Risotto Con Asparagi e Gamberi
(Risotto with Soave Wine, Asparagus, and Shrimp)
Courtesy of Nadia Frigeri

Serves 6

1 pound fresh asparagus
4 T unsalted butter
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 cups Italian Arborio rice
6 cups broth (vegetable, beef, or chicken broth)
1.5 cups white wine such as Soave or Pinot Grigio
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T chopped flat leaf (i.e. Italian) parsley

1/3 cup chopped green onions (white or pale green parts only) or shallots
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
½ to 1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Wash and peel the asparagus, using a vegetable peeler. Remove spears and keep stems aside.
2. Heat oil with butter in a large pot. Add onion, celery, and garlic and sauté until onion is transparent, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add rice to the pan, stir, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add wine and reduce it, stirring frequently.
4. Add 1 cup broth and stir in the asparagus stems. Add broth 1 cup at a time and stir constantly until broth is absorbed. Repeat for 15 minutes.
5. While rice is cooking, in medium skillet heat the 2 T of olive oil, add green onions and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, stir and cook 3 minutes, until shrimp are just slightly under-done.
6. Add asparagus spears and repeat, adding broth until rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 3-4 minutes longer. Stir in the shrimp and parsley. Give the shrimp a few minutes to finish cooking all the way through. TIP: When it’s time to add the shrimp, strain the shrimp liquid in first and make sure to thoroughly incorporate it to the mixture before adding the shrimp itself.
7. Taste to adjust the seasoning, add grated cheese, and serve.

Bits of wisdom from Nadia:

• Deliciously, Nadia marinated the shrimp in Raynal French Brandy in a plastic bag before sautéing them with the green onions. YUM!
• To make this a one-pot meal with easier clean-up, simply sauté the shrimp and green onions first in the large pot. Then remove them and do the rice steps in the same pot. Continue as directed, adding the shrimp and onions back in at the end.

• Try to find asparagus of small diameter so that it will cook thoroughly.
• If you like, you can chop the asparagus stems very finely in a food processor and add them at the end of step 3. They will melt into the risotto.
• After washing the Italian parsley, put the herbs through the salad spinner to remove all liquid and freeze for easy use.
• Nadia recommended using Costco’s colossal shrimp or Trader Joe’s defrosted frozen shrimp in this dish.
• You could also use scallops or filet of sole in this dish. Nadia says that the filet of sole will completely melt into the risotto and taste delicious. Another variation is to add either the asparagus or the shrimp, and not both.

Come back soon for more recipes and tips for the following dishes:

• Filet Mignon with Cabernet Wine and Grape Sauce on Polenta
• Three-Meat Meatballs with Merlot Wine Sauce
• Sbrisolona (Almond and Cornmeal Giant Cookie)
• Sgroppino (Prosecco, Vodka, Lemon Ice Cream Slush)

Tonight, I attended my third cooking class at Voila! Del Mar and I left with five amazing recipes that I can’t wait to try.

In April, I thoroughly enjoyed a class called 30-Minute Dinners with a professional chef named Nadia Frigeri. She has the most delectable Italian accent and she tells you all of the tricks for finding the best ingredients around town.

A couple weeks ago, I went to my second Voila! class which was Japanese Miso-Influenced Dishes with Dave Abella who is Executive Chef at the Roy’s Hawaiian worldwide chain of restaurants. His Misoyaki Butter Fish with Sizzling Vinaigrette was inspired and made me want to book a table at Roy’s ASAP.

Tonight, I brought my mother-in-law Letty along for Voila’s most popular class - From Veneto to Tuscany, The Wine Tasting Route, again with Nadia. We felt fortunate to have been able to reserve two spots in the class when we called the store in June.

First, a few words about my mother-in-law. She’s a top-notch cook who’s never stuck to a recipe a day in her life. She’s been cooking for the multitudes (i.e. her huge Jewish family) since she was 19 years old and practice has definitely made perfect in her kitchen. At first it was kind of intimidating for me to try and cook for her because everything she makes is so out-of-this-world, but after 10+ years around her I’ve finally decided to use her expertise as motivation to improve my own cooking skills.

Moreover, she’s fun to be around, speaks Italian fluently, and is still eager to learn more about cooking and cuisine. She took me to this cooking class for my birthday. If you stick around and read this blog regularly, I feel certain you’ll hear more about Letty as time goes on.

But back to the cooking class…. Voila! is located in the shopping center at Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. Maybe you’ve seen it before:

Nadia was as sweet and helpful as ever, cooking up a storm for over two hours. Even with three assistants working diligently the whole time, it was constant work for her to prepare the three entrees and two desserts right in front of our eyes.

Here is what she prepared and served for us:

• Risotto with Soave or Pinot Grigio Wine, Asparagus, and Shrimp
• Filet Mignon with Cabernet Wine and Grape Sauce on Polenta
• Three-Meat Meatballs with Merlot Wine Sauce
• Sbrisolona (Almond and Cornmeal Giant Cookie)
• Sgroppino (Prosecco, Vodka, Lemon Ice Cream Slush)

All of these dishes were unbelievably delectable. I would have to say that the Risotto and the Sbrisolona were my top two favorites, although it’s definitely hard to choose. You might be able to find these or similar recipes online, but even if you can, the most invaluable part of this cooking class experience is the pages of personalized notes that Nadia offers on each ingredient and its preparation.

It would take thousands of words for me to do justice to these outstanding recipes and I want to highlight each of them in detail.

Over the next week or so, check back for complete recipes and thorough notes on these phenomenal Italian treats, courtesy of Nadia.

Call for Class Information:

Voila! Del Mar
858.523.9446

12873 El Camino Real Suite M-2/M-4
San Diego, CA 92130